Automatic handle applying machine

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for feeding handles including a vibrating feeding hopper for discharging handles from a supply of handles, a slide beam for receiving said handles, and means for transferring said handles to a handle applying machine.

United States Patent [191 Fries, Jr.

[11 3,742,576 [451' July 3,1973

[ AUTOMATIC HANDLE APPLYING MACHINE I [56] References Cited [75] lnventor: Carl J. Fries, Jr., Philadelphia, Pa. UNITED STATES PATENTS I Assignee: International Paper Company New Linda Ct 211. B

York, NY. I Primary Examiner-Thomas H. Eager [221 Flled' Attorney----Charles B. Smith [21] Appl.- No.: 111,937

Related U.S Application Data ABSTRACT 1 Division Of 3811 351,420, g 19, 1969,PH1- Apparatus for feeding handles including a vibrating 3,597,327- feeding hopper for discharging handles from a supply of handles, a slide beam for receiving said handles, and U-S. C]. R, B means for transferring said handles to a handle apply- [51] Int. Cl B23q 7/10, 823p 19/04 ing machine, [58] Field of Search 29/211 R, 211 D, 1

' 29/208 13, 208 R 4 Claims, 36 Drawing Figures 70 h l *5 i 74 7g 5] n 704 Iv 7| 1 111 '11 m .90 I ml 796 mo C7) 79q I 776 o I 1 I]' I mk PATENIEB JUL 3 I915 PAIENTED JUL3 I913 SIG! 030? 14 NQN PAIENIEnJuu ms SIEH DUI 14 PAIENIEBJULs. ms 3.742.576 sum ow M PAIENIEuJuLa ms 3.742.576 SEE! 871i M PAIEMIEDJULa Ian 3.742.576 slw uauf M IQ\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ H PATENIEB JUL3 I973 aim 12m 14 PATENTEI] JUL 3 I975 SIEEI 130$ 14 PAIENIEDJULB I915 sum mar 14- AUTOMATIC HANDLE APPLYING MACHINE The present application is a division of application Ser. No. 851,420 filed Aug. 19, 1969, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,597,827, patented Aug. 10, 1971.

This invention relates to a machine for applying handles to containers and, more particularly, to such a machine for automatically applying plastic handles to paperboard containers.

ln U.S. Pat. No. 3,525,137, which issued Aug. 25, 1970, there is shown and described a machine for applying plastic handles to paperboard containers for milk, syrup, and other liquids which must be packaged and stored. In such machine, the container gable is punched, the male member of the fastening end of the plastic handle is inserted through the punched hole in the gable, the female member of the fastening end is then snapped over the end of the male member and the end of the male member, projecting beyond the female member, is compressed, locking the plastic handle on the container. Such a handle, locked on the container, makes such container easier to handle and, when the container is opened, makes it easier to pour the contents out of the container.

The handle applying apparatus of the aforementioned patent is semi-automatic, that is, the container gable is automatically punched and the handle is snapped and locked automatically. However, in such apparatus of the aforementioned patent, the plastic handle is spread and placed on the container and the male member is inserted through the punched hole in the container gable manually. In some operations, for example, where the number of containers to which plastic handles are to be applied is limited or in which the containers, after the handles are applied,are placed in crates or boxes manually, manual placing of the plastic handles on the container is acceptable. Because the number of containers to be filled is limited, and an operator is required to place the containers in the crates or cartons, such operator can, with little difficulty, also manually place the handles on the containers.

in some dairies and container filling plants, the number of containers filled and processed is relatively high..

In such plants, the containers, after they are filled, are automatically loaded into crates or cartons. Thus, in such filling plants, an operator is not required to place the containers in crates or cartons and is not otherwise available to put the handles on the containers and insert the male member of the fastener through the punched gable hole. Additionally, the number of containers processed, and the speed required in processing, does not readily lend itself to manual positioning of the handles on the container. Furthermore, because, in most such plants, space is limited, such machine in which the handles are manually placed onthe container is too large and not practical.

In the instant apparatus, the plastic handles are shipped to the filling plant, loose and in a box and are dumped into a vibrating feeder hopper from which the handles are fed, one after the other. From thevibrating feeder hopper, the handles fall onto an inclined feeding beam and slide, by gravity, down such beam, to the handle applicator. At such applicator, the leading-most handle on the beam is stripped from the beam, fed onto a mandrel, the male and female handle attaching members are spread over the container gable, and aligned with the punched hole in the gable. In order that this might be done, the gable is depressed. The male member is inserted through the punched hole in the gable and the female member is snapped over the projecting end of the male member.

While the machine of the instant application is in operation, a supply of handles is maintained on the slide beam. Thus, interrupted feed of handles from the vibrating feeding hopper, which feed is not uniform and, from time to time, might be jammed by handles accumulating at the hopper discharge, does not interfere with, or interrupt, the automatic operation of the instant handle applying apparatus. This is of substantial importance because, once a hole has been punched in the gable of the container, a handle must be applied because, if it is not, such container may leak.

In the instant invention, the gable of the container is The handles applied to the container by the apparatus of the instant invention are plastic and because they are plastic, such handles are not always uniform. The handles may be twisted or warped, the male and female attaching members may be misaligned, the handles may not be flat and such handles may vary, one from the other, in a variety of ways. Such variations can, of course, adversely affect sorting, feed and application of the handles. For example, in the vibration sorting and feeding hopper, a warped or distored handle can, and often does, block the sorting and feed of the handles, one after the other, from the vibration feeder hopper. In the instant invention, and for reasons more apparent hereinafter, distortion of the handle and misaligning of the male and female attaching members, once the handle has been fed out of the vibration feeder hopper,

does not jam, or interfere with, the feed, positioning or attachment of the handle to the container gable. The availability of a number of handles on the feed beam in the instant apparatus, between the vibration feeder hopper and handle application, is of substantial importance to the overall operation of the instant automatic machine. This supply of handles, on the feed beam, permits continued operation of the handle applicator when a jam does occur in the vibrating feeder hopper and permits the filling machine operator, or other operator nonnally required to oversee other operations in the vicinity of the instant machine, to clear the jam in the vibration feeder hopper without interruption of the feed of containers to the handle applicator and without punched containers passing through the handle applicator and not receiving a handle.

The instant invention will be more fully understood from the following description and attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view taken from the front, or conveyor side of the instant apparatus;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view,- taken from the front of the apparatus, of the lower part of the apparatus of 1 FIG. 1, with parts omitted, to show the carton feed mechanism;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view, taken at 3-3, FIG. 1, and showing, in full and broken line, certain parts of the carton feed mechanism of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view, with certain parts omitted; to show the container feed at various stations;

FIG. 5 is a view, partly in section, taken at the punching station in the direction of the machine toward the in-feed end;

' FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the punch head taken at 6-6, FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view transverse the punch head taken at 7-7, FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view, partly in section, taken at the handle feed and attaching station in the direction of carton feed, i.e., toward the out-feed end of the apparatus;

FIG. 8a is an enlarged sectional view taken at 8a-8a, FIG. 8;

FIG. 8b is a sectional view taken at 8b-8b, FIG. 8a;

FIG. 8c is a sectional view taken at 80-80, FIG. 8a;

FIG. 9 is a side view, partly in section, of the handle feed and attaching station of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view, partly in section, taken at 10-10, FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged view, partly in section, taken at 11-11, FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged view, partly broken away and partly in section, taken at 12-12, FIG. 9;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged view, similar to FIG. 11, but taken at 13-13, FIG. 9;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged view taken at 14-14, FIG. 9;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of the carton top showing the carton gable in the gable depressor.

FIG. 16 is an enlarged view but showing the handle snapping jaws, with the handle attachment snapped;

FIG. 17 is an enlarged view, similar to FIG. 12 but showing the snap applicator actuator in the closed position;

FIG. 18 is a view, partly in section, taken at the cold heading station in the direction of the machine toward the in feed end;

FIG. 19 is an enlarged view, partly in section, taken at 19-19, FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 is a view, partly broken away and enlarged, of a portion of the cold heading apparatus of FIG. 19 but showing the cold heading heads in engagement with the handle attachment on the carton gable;

FIG. 21 is a top plan view of the handle slide beam feeder;

FIG. 22 is a side elevational view of the slide beam feeder, taken at 22-22, FIG. 21;

FIG. 23 is a sectional view, taken at 23-23, FIG. 22;

FIG. 24 is a sectional view, taken at 24-24, FIG. 23; FIGS. 25 and 26 are sectional views, taken at 25-25 and 26-26, FIG. 24, respectively;

FIG. 27 is an enlarged side elevational view of the feed end of the handle slide beam feeder of FIG. 21;

FIG. 28 is a view similar to FIG. 27 but showing the feed operation of the handle; 8

FIG. 29 is a view similar to FIG. 28 but showing a further feed operation;

FIG. 30 is a view taken at 30-30, FIG. 27;

FIG. 31 is a view taken at 31-31, FIG. 27;

FIG. 32 is a view taken at 32-32, FIG. 31; and

FIG. 33 is a schematic diagram of the electrical and fluid control circuitry of the instant apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, particularly FIGS. 1 to 4 thereof, the apparatus of the present invention includes a frame, generally designated 2, having bottom frame members 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, FIG. 4, vertical members 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, intermediate member 26 and upper frame member 28, FIG. 1. The apparatus includes an in-feed station, generally designated 30, a punching station, generally designated 32, a handle applying station, generally designated 34, a cold heading station, generally designated 36, and an out-feed station, generally designated 38. Double acting punching station actuating cylinder 40, having fluid inlets-outlets 42, 44, is pivotally mounted, at 46, to support 48 mounted intermediate member 26. Piston rod 50 of the piston of double acting cylinder 40 is connected to punching head, generally designated 52. Snap lock double acting cylinder 54, having fluid inlets-outlets 56, 58, is mounted on intermediate member 26. Snap lock actuating disc 60 is attached to the end of piston rod 62 of piston in double acting cylinder 54, for purposes later described.

Handle feed head double acting cylinder 64, having fluid inlets-outlets 66, 68, is mounted on support 70. Piston rod 72 of piston of double acting cylinder 64 is connected to the handle applicator, generally designated 74. Double acting cylinder 76 having fluid inletsoutlets 78, 80 is mounted on support 82 attached to intermediate member'26. Piston rod 84 of the piston of double acting cylinder is connected to the cold header, generally designated 86. For purposes later described hook 85 is pivotally attached, at 87, to intermediate frame member 26.

As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, endless conveyor 90, driven from a source, not shown, passes between vertical frame members 14, l6,and 22, 24, delivering filled containers to the in-feed end of the automatic handle applying apparatus of the instant invention and conveying containers from the out-feed end of the apparatus, as will be more fully-described herein. With particular reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, apparatus container support shelf 92 is mounted behind vertical supports 16, 22 and is connected thereto by'angle braces 94, 96. Shelf 92 has extending, along its back edge, lip 98. Container guide 100, FIG. 4, extends along the front of the apparatus, between in-feed station 30 and out-feed station 38. Shelf lip 98 and container guide 100 guide the containers between the in-feed and out-feed stations in the manner as later described herein.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, pusher support 102 is mounted on vertical frame member 14, such as by welding, and container stop plate 104 is slidably mounted thereon and locked in its advanced position across conveyor 90, or in its retracted position, by locking screw 106. Switch 108 is mounted on the back of stop plate 104, with switch actuating arm 110 of switch 108 projecting through plate 104, for purposes hereinafter described. Pusher double acting cylinder 112, having fluid inlets-outlets 114, 116, is mounted on pusher support 102. Piston rod 118 of the piston of 1 with transverse members 150, 152 form a rigid rocker frame, are mounted in bearings 158, 160, the rigid rocker frame, along with carton feeder plate 132, shoes 134, 136, 138, 140, feeder plate arms 142, 144 and feeder plate arm sleeves 146, 148, slidably mounted on transverse rocker arm members 150, 152, pivot about bearings 158, 160 between the full and phantom line positions, FIG. 3, all for purposes more apparent hereinafter.

Referring to FIG. 2, double acting cylinder 162, having fluid inlets-outlets 164, 166, is pivotally connected,

at 168, to vertical rocker arm 154. Piston rod 170 of the piston of double acting cylinder 162 is pivotally connected, at 172, to support 174 fixed to feeder plate arm sleeve 148.

Double acting cylinder 180, FIG. 3, having fluid inlets-outlets 182, 184, is pivoted at 186, to bracket 188, fasten ed, as by welding, to vertical frame member 16. Piston rod 190 of the piston of cylinder 180 is pivotally connected, at 192, to vertical rocker arm 154. As shown in full and phantom lines, FIGS. 2 and 3, double acting cylinder 162 moves carton feed plate 132 with shoes 134, 136, 138, 140 longitudinal along rocker arm members 150, 152 and cylinder moves the feed plate and shoes through an arc.

Punching head 52, FIG. 5, is fastened, by cap screws 191, to arm 193, FIG. 6, pivotally mounted, at 192, on support 194 fastened, as by welding, to angle member 196 in turn fastened, as by welding,at one of its ends to vertical frame member 18 and, at its other end, FIG. 18, to vertical frame member 20. Punching head 52, FIGS. 5,6 and 7, has a longitudinally extending slot 198, tapered at 200 and closed at one of its ends by plate 202 and, at its other end, by leaf spring 204, FIG. 6. As best shown in FIG. 7, punch 206, guided in bushing 208 in punch head 52 at one side of slot 198 and by die 210, at the other side of the slot, is fixed to-the end of piston rod 212 of double acting cylinder 214, having fluid inlets-outlets 216, 218. Double acting cylinder 214 is mounted on arm 193. Slug collection box 220 snaps onto the end of head 52 and arm 193 to receive the slug punched from the gable of the container, but, if desired, may be omitted.

Handle applying mandrel 222, FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, is

I fastened to the end of mandrel support 224 attached,

as by for example, screws, not shown, to the bottom of block 226, in turn attached, as by for example, screws, not shown, to frame cross member 228. Lower handle slide beam plate 231 is attached, as by for example, pins 233, to mandrel 222. Gable depressor 230, having side walls 232, 234, FIG. 15, flared outwardly at their entrance end for receiving the carton gable, is attached to the end of mandrel support 224 by pins 236, 238 and compression springs 240, 242. Pins 236, 238 and compression springs 240, 242 normally hold gable depresso'r 230 upward, in engagement with the lower end of mandrel support 224. Pins 244, 246, at the opposite sides of gable depressor 230, in cooperation with elements to be described, move gable depressor 230 downwardly, away from the end of mandrel support 224, to depress the carton gable, for reasons more apparent hereinafter.

As best shown in FIGS. 11 and 13, the grip portion of the handle engages one surface 248, of mandrel 222 and the angular portions of the handle, connecting the grip portion and sides of the handle with the snap and v locking handle fastener, engage angular sides 250, 252 of the mandrel, respectively. Spring guide 251, FIGS. 1, 8 and 11, is fastened at 253 intermediate frame member 26, extends down the face of mandrel 222 and at its bottom end, at 255 extends inwardly toward mandrel 222 to guide and support the handle as the handle is being applied and snap-locked on the carton. The opposite ends 254, 256 of mandrel 222 taper, downwardly, from the top, or handle receiving end of the mandrel, to the bottom, or handle opening end. Angular sides 250, 252 of mandrel 222, each have an outwardly and downwardly tapering extension 258, 260, with grooves 261, 263 and 266, 268 extending downwardly along the opposite sides of tapering extensions 258, 260, respectively. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 13, handle engaging fingers 262, 264 are cut out, at their ends, to project into the mandrel grooves and straddle extensions 258, 260, respectively.

Fingers 262, of ramp 390 and back into the bowl. If one handle is above the other on ramp 390, the top handle falls back into the bowl. Thus, when discharged from ramp 390, at 392, the hand engaging portion of all of the handles are in the same position or orientation. As will be later described the male and female attachment portions of the handles may be facing in either direction.

The handle, as it is discharged at 392, falls by gravity onto handle receiving end 392 of upper plate 384, the leading most end of the handle striking ledge 398. Ledge 398 prevents the handle from catching on the top of end 392 or from falling out of the end of cover 396. The handles falling onto receiving end 392 fall, by gravity, onto the lower portion of upper plate 384 and slide down intermediate plates 370, 372 to lower plate 231 from which the handles are individually fed onto mandrel 222 in the manner hereinafter described.

The discharge of handles from hopper 388 to upper plate 384 is at a higher handle feed rate than the feed of handles onto mandrel 222. Thus, should the feed of handles from vibration feed hopper 388 to the slide beam feeder to be interrupted by the hopper running out of handles, a jam up of the handles in the bowl, or for any other reason, the automatic handle attaching apparatus of the instant invention may continue to operate until the supply of handles on the slide beam is exhausted. To prevent over-feed of handles to the slide beam, electric eye 406 is connected to the vibrator of vibration feed hopper 388 to stop the vibrator and the feed of handles from hopper 388 to the slide beam if the electric eye beam is interrupted for a pre-set time interval by handles stacked up on the slide beam between the lower end of the slide beam and electric eye 406. Electric eye 406 may also sound an alarm, if the supply of handles on the slide beam falls below a predetermined level.

Referring to FIGS. 21, 22 and 27 to 31, cam-stops 408, 409 are fixed to the end of arms 410, 41 1 pivotally attached, at 412, 413, to bracket 414 fixed, as by for example welding, to frame 2 of the apparatus. The bottom surface of cam-stops 408, 409 are flat and urged into engagement with the top surface of lower slide beam plate 231, for purposes more apparent hereinafter, by compression spring 416 mounted under inter mediate frame member 26. The top surface of camstops 408, 409 are sloped, sloping upwardly from mandrel 222 end of cam-stops 408, 409, and the opposite end of cam-stops 408, 409 are rounded, having notches 418, 419, therein, FIGS. 27, 28 and 29, to receive a handle.

Double acting handle feed cylinder 420, having fluid inlets-outlets 421, 423 is pivotally connected, at 422, to frame 2 of the apparatus. Piston rod 424, connected to the piston of cylinder 420, is attached to handle selector426, having selector pin 428 and handle stops 430, 431. Cam followers 432, 433 extend outwardly trans verse to selector pin 428, FIGS. 27, 31, for purposes more apparent hereinafter. Leaf spring 434, FIG. 22,is

connected, at one of its ends, by bracket 435, to frame 2, and, through adjusting screw 436 bears against the free end of cylinder 420 to hold cam followers 432, 433 in engagement with cam-stops 408, 409 for purpose more apparent hereinafter.

Guide spring 436 is fastened at one of its ends to bracket 437 fixed to frame 2. The leading or free end of guide spring 436 projects under slide beam plate 231 and engages the lower portion of the handle as the handle is transferred from the slide beam to mandrel 222.

Referring, now, to FIGS. 31, 32, handle stop rod 439 is pivotally mounted by pin 441 on support 440 fixed to intermediate member 26, FIG. 22 and is held, by compression spring 442 against set screw 444 adjustable in support 440.

Handle feed cylinder 420, through selector pin 428, cam-stops 408, 409 and cam followers 432', 433, selectively feeds the leading or lowermost handle off of the slide beam and feeds and positions the handle on mandrel 222. As best shown in FIG. 27, the handles on the slide beam hang vertically and, when fed onto mandrel 222, are horizontal.

When actuated, as hereinafter described, handle feed cylinder 420 is in the position shown in FIG. 27 with the leading handle on the feed side of pin 428, between pin 428 and mandrel 422, and the remaining handles on the slide beam are on the opposite side of pin 428. Cam-stops 408, 409 are holding the leading handle. Activation of cylinder 420 advances handle selector 426 to the right, in FIG. 27, toward mandrel 222. As selector 426 advances, cam followers 432, 433 engage notches 418, 419 in cam-stops 408, 409, lifting the cam-stops, FIG. 28 and feed the handle down slide beam plate 231. As the handle moves down slide beam plate 231, the lower-most portion of the handle engages guide spring 436. Guide spring 436 retards the bottom portion causing the handle to tip from its vertical position toward a horizontal position. As this is taking place, stop rod 439 is pivoted on pin 441 against the tension of spring 442 and snaps back, FIG. 32, when the handle being fed clears the end of rod 439. In snapping back, the end of rod 439 catches and retains following handles that might tend to slide down the beam behind pin 428. Thus, rod 439 acts as a gate, allowing the first handle being fed to pass but retaining the following handles in position on the slide beam.

After c'am followers 432, 433 pass under cam-stops 408, 409, lifting the cam-stops, cam stops 408, 409 are pushed downward by spring 416 and back into engagement with slide beam plate 231. With cam-stops 408,

409 in engagement with plate 231, the next following handle slides into notches 418, 419. Cylinder 420 continues to advance until it reaches the phantom line position in FIG. 27 and the handle, now in horizontal position, drops off of the end of plate 231 onto mandrel 222.

After cylinder 420 has reached its fully extended position and the handle being fed has dropped off of the end of plate 231 onto mandrel 222, cylinder 420 is automatically reversed and retracts selector pin 428. As best shown in FIG. 29, in retracting cam followers 432, 433 ride up the sloping top of cam-stops 408, 409. Thus, the end of cylinder 420 and pin 428 are lifted. When cam followers 432,433 reach the downwardly sloping back end of cam-stops cam-stops 408, 409, leaf spring 434 pushes cylinder 420 and selector pin 428 downward. Thus, selector pin 428 falls behind the handle in notches 418, 419 and is in position to again feed the leading-most handle, then on the slide beam, during the next operating cycle of handle feed cylinder 420.

The apparatus of the instant invention, including the slide beam handle feed, is operated and controlled, automatically, through an electrical and fluid pressure control system. Because in most dairies where the handle applying apparatus of the instant invention is most commonly employed and compressed air is available, in the embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawingsand description herein, air is employed as the fluid medium. It is to be understood, however, that the apparatus of the instant invention may be operated hydraulically by the addition of a hydraulic pump, reser' voir and pressure accumulator.

The electrical and fluid pressure control system of the apparatus is shown schematically in FIG. 33. Referring to FIG. 33, switch 108 is connected, in one side by electrical lead 450, through switch 452, to a source of electrical power, not shown, and at its other side, by lead 454 to timer 456. Timer 456 is connected, by electrical lead 458, to lead 450 and, by electrical lead 460, to the other pole of the power source, not shown. Timer 456 is connected, by electrical leads 462, 464, to motor 466. Motor 466 drives cam 468. Manual switch 452 is closed by the operator when the apparatus of the instant invention is started up.

When a filled carton, on endless conveyor 90, strikes switch arm 110 switch 108 is closed and timer 456 is energized, energizing motor 466 which, in turn, rotates cam 468 through a full cycle. The closing of of switch 108, by arm 1'10, initiates the cycle but, as will be more apparent from the following description, as the apparatus operates through the cycle, the carton initially engaging arm 110 is moved out of engagement with the arm, and switch 108 is reopened. Thus, the closing of switch 108 to energize timer 456, initiates the operating cycle which continues until the cycle is completed.

Each of the double acting cylinders in the apparatus is mechanically connected, through a switch, solenoid and double acting valve, to cam 468. Cam 468 may be single cam or a plurality of cams each operating one or more of the switches, solenoids and valves. In FIG. 33, the switches mechanically actuated by cam 468, double acting valves and double acting cylinders are, for convenience, arranged in the sequence in which such switches, solenoids, valves and double acting cylinders are operated in the normal operating cycle of the machine and, in the following description, will be described in such sequence certain of the operations, ber cause a plurality of containers are in the apparatus, all at the same time, may be performed concurrently.

As shown, diagrammatically, in FIG. 33, each of the double acting cylinders 112, 162, 180, 40, 214, 64, 54, 420, 76, 310, 312 and 356 is normally in one of its double acting positions and, when actuated by cam 468 and-switch and solenoid connected to such cam, is actuated by the valve into the other of its double acting positions. After the operation to be performed has been completed and the switch connected to the solenoid valve control for each double acting cylinder is reopened, the double acting cylinder returns to its normal position. Certain of the double acting cylinders, such as cylinders 40, 64 and 76, in normal position, hold punching head 52, handle applicator 74 and cold header 86, respectively, elevated and, when actuated by cam 468 and the switch solenoid and valve connected, respectively, thereto actuate the units in the opposite directions. When the apparatus is shut down and the air to cylinders 40, 64 and 76 is turned off, the weight of punching head 52, handle applicator 74 and cold header 86 cause these units to drop down, by gravity. When the apparatus is being started up, the air is tumed on and double acting cylinders 40, 64 and 76, when sufficient air pressure to the operate the apparatus builds up in such cylinders, returns such units to their'normal, elevated positions. The dropping down and return of punching head 52 and cold header 86, by the off and turning on of the air, does not adversely affect subsequent automatic operation of the apparatus. However, thedropping down of handle applicator 74, when the air is turned off, feed the handle on mandrel 222 down and off of the mandrel. Thus, after the air is turned back on to put the automatic handle apolicating machine of the instant application into operation and handle applicator 74 returns to its elevated position, a handle must be fed to mandrel 222. In order that this might be done, the operator, when he starts the machine and after he has manually closed switch 452 and turned on the air, momentarily closes and re-opens switch 453. The momentary closing of switch 453 actuates handle feed cylinder 420 in the manner hereinabove described and feeds a handle from the slide beam onto mandrel 222.

When switch 452 is closed, the air is turned on, a handle has been fed onto mandrel 222, and the apparatus of the instant invention is in operation, conveyor 90 is in operation and feeding containers, which have been closed and sealed, from the filling machine, not shown, but to the left in FIG. 1. Such containers are fed from, and discharged from, the machine in the to, of the arrows, FIG. 1, container stop plate is, of course, in its advanced position across conveyor 90 and locked with locking screw 106.

The container, being fed by conveyor 90, contacts plate 104, depresses switch arm 110 and closes switch 108 to energize timer 456 which, in turn, energizes motor 466 to rotate cam 468 through a a full cycle. Cam 468 closes the switch connected to the solenoid of the valve of pusher cylinder 112, activating cylinder 112. When activated, cylinder 112 pushes plate 122 forward, in the direction of the arrow, FIG. 4, and pushes the container into in-feed station 30. The switch connected to the solenoid of the valve of cylinder 112 then re-opens, deactivating cylinder 112. Pusher plate 122 is retracted and in position to receive the next following filled container. With the first container in infeed station 30, cam 468 closes the switch connected to the solenoid of the valve of cylinder 162, activating cylinder 162 and advancing feed plate 132, with its shoes 134,136, 138, 140, in the direction of the arrow, FIG. 2, from the full line to the phantom line position. The switch actuators on cam 468 are so positioned and timed that, when feed plate 132, withshoes 134, 136, 138, 140 reaches the phantom line position, FIG. 2, thereby advancing the first container from in-feed station to punching station 32 on container support shelf 92, the switch of the solenoid of the valve of double acting cylinder 180 is closed and pivots arms 154, 156, feeder plate arms 142, 144, feed plate 132 and shoes 134, 136, 138, 140 about bearings 158, 160 from the full to the phanton line position, FIG. 3. With feed plate 132 and shoes 134, 136, 138, 140 in the phantom line position, the switch to the solenoid-valve control of cylinder 162 is opened, deactivating cylinder 162, returning plate 132 and shoes 134, 136, 138, 140 from the full to the phantom line position, FIG. 2. With plate 132 and shoes 134, 136, 138, 140 returned to the full line position, FIG. 2, the switch to the solenoid-valve control of cylinder 180 is opened, deactivating cylinder 180, returning plate 132 and shoes 134, 136, 138, 140 to the full line position, 'FIG. 3.

The feeding of the filled container from in-feed station 30 to punching station 32 by the activating of double acting cylinders 162, 180 takes place while cylinder 112 is retracting plate 122. Thus, when plate 132 and shoes 134, 136, 138, 140 return to the full line position, FIGS. 2 and 3, the next following container on conveyor contacts arm of switch 108 and the following container is pushed into in-feed station 30 and advanced into punching station 32 in the manner aforedescribed. The cycle is repeated by each following container. Thus, each container contacting arm 110 and closing switch 108, as it is pushed into in-feed station 30 and advanced into punching station 32', advances each preceding container, then in the apparatus, one station. The switch actuators on cam 468 are so positioned and timed that, as plate 132 and shoes 134, 136, 138, are returning back from the phantom line to the full line position, FIGS. 2 and 3, double acting cylinder 40 in punching station 32, double acting cylinder 76 cold heading station 36 and double acting cylinder 356 in out-feed station 38 are all activated. After the switch actuators on cam 468 actuates cylinders 40 and 76 and while punching head 52 and cold header 86 are in their full down position, the switch actuators on cam 468 activates double acting cylinder 214 and punches the gable of the container in the punching station and double acting cylinders 310, 312 in the cold heading station and cold heads the handle on the container in that station. For obvious reasons, cylinders 214, 310, 312 are deactivated, retracting punch ,212 and cold header 324, 328 before cylinders 40, 76 are deactivated.

All of the stations, with the exception of handle applying station 34, are operated automatically, in timed sequence, by the container contacting arm 110 and closing switch 108 which, in turn, energizes timer 456 and motor 466 to rotate cam 468 and actuate the switches connected, mechanically, to cam 468. Handle applying station 34 is operated by the container in the station.

When the container, with a handle receiving hole punched in the gable thereof, is fed by plate 132 amd 

1. Apparatus for feeding handles to be applied to containers from a supply of loose handles and for aligning and feeding said handles, one after the other, said apparatus including a vibrating feeder hopper for discharging handles, one after the other, from a supply of handles in said feeder hopper, a slide beam, means at one end of said slide beam for receiving said handles discharged from said feeder hopper and means at the other end of said slide beam for transferring said handles on said slide beam, one after the other, from said slide beam to a handle applying machine.
 2. Apparatus, as recited in claim 1, in which said means for transferring said handles from said slide beam to said handle applying machine includes handle stop means, means for engaging the handle in engagement with said stop means and for sliding said handle so engaged off of said slide beam and onto said handle applying machine, said means for engaging the handle including means for lifting said handle stop means and releasing said handle so engaged and means for returning said handle stop means to its initial position to stop and hold the handle on said slide beam following said handle so engaged.
 3. An automatic machine, as recited in claim 3, in which said means for lifting said handle stop means, includes a first camming surface on said stop means, a cam follower on said means for engaging the handle means for engaging said cam follower with said first camming surface and for lifting said handle stop means and releasing said handle so engaged thereby, a second camming surface on said stop means and means on said means for engaging the handle for engaging said second camming sUrface for lifting said means for engaging the handle over said handle stop means and for engaging said means for engaging the handle with the handle on said slide beam following the handle transferred to said handle applying machine.
 4. An automatic machine, as recited in claim 3, in which said means for engaging the handle and for sliding said handle so engaged off of said slide beam onto said handle applying machine includes a fluid actuated cylinder, means for actuating said cylinder in a first direction for lifting said handle stop means and releasing and feeding said handle engaged by said stop means and transferring said handle to said handle applying machine and means for actuating said cylinder in a reverse direction for lifting said means for engaging the handle over said handle stop means for engaging said means for engaging the handle with the handle on said slide beam following the handle transferred to said handle applying machine. 